Sectional doorsill or the like



F. W REHER .May 23, 1933.

RsILL OR THE LIKE SECTIONAL DOO Filed Feb. 25, 1932 Patented May 23, 1933 PATEN'B OFFICE i UNITED STATES FRED W. REHER, OF WATERIBURY, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR TO THEZ- CHASE COMPANIES, INCORPORATED, F WATERBURY, CONNECTICUT, A CORPORATION SECTIONAL DOORSILL OR THE LIKE This invention relates to an improvement in sectional structural plates, and particularly to sectional structural plates designed for use as doorsills, though available for use in a variety of other situations where structural plates of similar characteristics are desirable.

Sectional doorsills and other sectional structural plates as heretofore manufactured have been open to several objections, among 0 which may be mentioned tendency to looseness between the sections, which causes cracks therebetween and occasions considerable annoyance by way of noise when such plates are tread upon or otherwise subjected to vibration or strain.

One of the main objects of my present invention is to provide, at a low cost for manufacture, a superior sectional doorsill or the like structural plate, characterized by a tight 2Q interfitting of the sections to minimize cracks, noise, etc., without'requiring extreme precision of manufacture or of assembly. With the above and other objects in view as will appear from the following, my invention consists in a sectional doorsill or similar sectional structural plate, having certain features of construction and combinations and arrangements of parts as will be hereinafter described and particularly recited in the claims.

In the accompanying drawing:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of one form which a doorsill constructed in accordance with my invention may assume;

Fig. 2 is a. broken transverse sectional View taken on the line 22 of Fig. 1 but on a larger scale;

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of two of the plate-sections located in position for being assembled.

The particular sectional doorsill here-in chosen for the illustration of my invention consists, as shown, of a laterally-tapered endplate 10, intermediate tread-plates 11 and 12, and a laterally-tapered end-plate 13 coinple menting the end-plate before referred to. The, plates 10, 11, 12 and 13 are preferably produced by an extrusion process in indeterminate lengths, to be subsequently cut off into suitable lengths as required to meet the Application filed February 26, 1932. Serial No. 595,264.

exigencies of a given installation. The said plates may have their respective upper surfaces shaped to provide anti-slip areas, such, for instance, as by providing alternate longitudinal ribs 14 and longtudinal grooves 15 shown in the accompanying drawing as fonirnegd on the intermediate tread-plates 11 an The intermediate plate 11 as shown is provided in its upper face with a longitudinal groove or runwayl6 to provide a guide fora sliding door, and is formed in its under-side with longitudinal grooves 17-17 for the purpose of lightening the plate without diminishing its depth. Similarly, the plates 10, 12

and 13 are provided in their under-faces with longitudinal grooves 18-, 19 and 20 respe'c trvely, to afford the maximum lightness consistent with strength.

In the particular doorsill illustrated, the

right edge (as viewed in the drawing) of each of the plates 10, 11 and 12 is formed with an undercut groove 21 preferably of the so-called dovetail form in cross-section and extending longitudinally of each of the given plates. The left edge (as viewed in the drawing) of each of the plates'll, 12 and 13 is formed with a dovetail or equivalent interlocklng rib 22 adapted to snugly fit within the undercut groove 21'0f the immediatelyadjacent plate, as clearly shown in Fig. 1 of the drawing.

Each of the dovetail-ribs 22 is split or bifurcated by forming therein a longitudinal groove 23 preferably of V-shaped form and which results in the formation of two complementary resilient flange-like fingers 24- 21 which respectively frictionally engage with the upper and lower walls of the particular dovetail-groove 21 into which the rib g I is interfitted. I

From the foregoing, it will be seen that the intermediate platesll and 12 are each formed at their respective opposite edges with a dovetail rib' and a dovetail-groove, though it is obviouswithout further illustration that a given plate-section may be provided with two undercut grooves or two flaring ribs, though the arrangement shown is preferred. The number ofplates', as well as the individual character of each, entering into the makeup of a doorsill or other sectional plate will vary according to the particular requirements of a given installation. For instance, when a wide sill is required, additional plates may be inserted and connected together to provide the required width, and conversely if a narrow sill is required, some or all of the intermediate plates maybe omitted. -,If thesill is designed to be used: in connection with a sliding door, a section like the plate 11 shown will be employed to forma part of the complete sill-structure, so as to provide a runway 16.

, The dovetail-ribs 22 of the respective sills ections may be initial'l'y'sized so as to snugly fit the V complementary undercut-grooves 21 of the members with which they are to be interlocked, 0r they'mfay'be initially manufactured with a fr'eefit and expanded upon the job to insure a. snug interlock, to thus avoid objectionable noise incident to vibration and strain.

It will be readily appreciated that it is a diflicult matter to provide plate-sections with solidlribs which will snugly fit an undercut groove without offering so much resistance to assembly as to occasion the distortion and possible mutilation of the plates in an effort to drive them. together. By means of my invention, I provide laterally-yielding interlocking-ribs which may be, spread sufficiently to tightly engage the walls of the undercut grooves into which they are to fit, without, however, occasioning a jamming action which would require the exertion of such force as would consume time and efiort and might result in the damaging of the/sillsections.

It' will be understood by those skilled in the art that my inventionfmay assume varied physical forms without departing from my inventive concept, and 1,. therefore, do not limit myself to the specific embodiment herein chosen for illustration, but. only as indicated in the appended claims.

I claim: V

' 1;. sectionalsill or the like, including a plurality of plate-sections, one of which is provided in its edge with a longitudinal undercut groove and the adj acent -plate-section of which is provided in its edgewith a transversely-yieldi'ng longitudinal interlocking rib fitting into and resiliently-engaging the undercut groove in the other said plate section. V T w 2. A sectional sill or the like, including a plurality of plate-sections, one of which is provided in its edge with a longitudinal undercut groove and the adjacent plate-section of which is provided in. its edge with a bifurcated longitudinal. interlocking rib fitting into and resiliently-engaging the undercut groove in the other said plate-section.

provided in its edge with a longitudinal dovetail groove and the adjacent plate-section of which is provided in its edge with a transversely-yielding longitudinal interlocking rib fitting into and resiliently-engaging the dovetail section. V

' 5. A sectional sill or the like, including a plurality of plate-sections, one of which is provided in its edge with a. longitudinal dovetail groove and the adjacent plate-section of which is provided in its edge with a bifurcatgroove in the other said plate ed longitudinal interlocking rib fitting into i and resiliently-engaging the dovetail groove in the other said plate-section.

6. A sectional sill or the like, including a plurality of plate-sections, one of which is provided in its edge with a longitudinal dove tail groove and the adjacent plate-section of which is provided in its edge with an interl'ockingrib split to form complementary diverging resilient fingers fitting into and resiliently-engaging the dovetail groove in the 7 other said plate-section.

7. A sectional sill or the like, including a plurality of plate-sections, one of which is provided in its edge with a longitudinal dovetail groove and the adjacent plate-section of which. is providedini'ts edge with an interlocking dovetail rib bifurcated to form two continuous diverging laterally-yielding fin gers fitting into and resiliently-engaging the dovetail groove in the other said platesection. 1;

8.. A structural plate for doorsills or the like, having a transversely-yielding interlocking rib in one ofits edges.

9. A structural plate for doorsills or the like, having a transversely-yielding interlocking rib in one of'its edges and having a complementary undercut groove upon its'opposite edge, the said groove being shaped to receive an interlocking rib' of the same character as the rib referred to.

10'. A structural plate for doorsills or the like, having one of its edges provided with an interlocking rib longitudinally split to form complementary resilient fingers; i 1.1. A structural plate for doorsills or'the like, having one of its edges provided with an interlocking rib longitudinally split to form complementary diverging, resilient fingers and having a complementary undercut groove upon its opposite edge, the said groove being shaped to receive an interlocking rib of the same character as the rib referred to.

12. A structural plate for doorsills or the like, having an interlocking rib formed with a V-shaped groove dividing the same into two continuous resilient flanges diverging frgm each other and yieldable toward each ot er.

In testimony whereof, I have signed this specification.

FRED W. REHER. 

